Electric vehicle (EV), replaces the use of conventional Internal Combustion (IC) Engines with Traction motors or electric motors for propulsion. An electric vehicle uses batteries for storing energy. The batteries usually are charged using energy from the grid, a Solar PV system or any other generator that generates electricity.
The are 2 main types of Electric Vehicles , Battery Electric Vehicles ( BEV) and Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). The BEV’s have an inbuilt battery bank while the PHEV’s have battery bank and also provide propulsion through liquid fuels.
As the acceptance of EV’s increase, there would be a great demand to provide public charging facilities that would be similar to fuel stations. Maxwell is in the process of developing these charging stations and micro grids so as to meet the industries requirements.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations:
Charging Stations come in two classes: residential or commercial. Residential charging stations are built for single-family homes. Commercial stations are more sophisticated, both in terms of hardware and software. They are built for commercial applications such as at the mall, at your office, at the grocery store, in a public parking garage, etc. Commercial stations go through intense laboratory testing to ensure that they meet all electrical codes and guidelines.
Levels of Charging
There are three main levels of charging an electric vehicle.
- Level I – Level I refers to the standard 230 VAC outlets that you have in your home. This is a very basic charge for an electric vehicle and will take much longer to recharge.
- Level II – Level II charging stations push energy at 240 Volts with higher amperage of current. Level II stations are typically built for housing societies or commercial complexes having requirement for multiple charging facility.
- Level III, or DC Fast Charging – Level III, sometimes referred to as DC Fast Charging, ranges from 200 to 600 VDC and can recharge an electric vehicle in as little as 30 minutes. This is a fantastic solution for charging on the go.